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Jonathan Yarak | profile | all galleries >> Travel >> Study Abroad in Beijing, Fall 2005 >> WuTai Shan >> Day 1 - Train, Mountain, Random Garden tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Day 1 - Train, Mountain, Random Garden | Day 2 - Qiao Family Courtyard, Pingyao Old City, Taiyuan

Day 1 - Train, Mountain, Random Garden

After arriving at 5AM in what was pretty much the middle of nowhere, we took a two hour bus ride to Wu Tai Shan. There we had some breakfast, went to a temple, and then opted to climb up a mountain to another temple. There were once as many as 500 temples in the area, and although now there are only about 100 still around, there were at least 20 easily visible in the valley below this mountain (I opted not to put up the endless pictures I took of those as they got a little tiresome to look at). After the mountain we took a bus to an area called Jinci, but unfortunately it was closed already so we went into a random park somewhere where it was very dark. Finally, we got to our hotel in Taiyuan, the Shanxi provincial capital. Oh yeah, and it was Li laoshi's birthday on friday when we left, so I felt it necessary to toupai (steal pictures of her). Shi wo de yiburongci de zeren.
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Allison on the train.
Allison on the train.		 Joyce showing her love for the cameraman.
Joyce showing her love for the cameraman.		 Li laoshi showing her love for the alcohol, taking a birthday swig.
Li laoshi showing her love for the alcohol, taking a birthday swig.		 Everyone enjoyed the Halloween-inspired candy gifts from our wonderful CIEE laoshis.
Everyone enjoyed the Halloween-inspired candy gifts from our wonderful CIEE laoshis.
Me protecting my camera from evil Li laoshi.
Me protecting my camera from evil Li laoshi.		 Uyjien and Li laoshi discussing what to do with her birthday gift, the big melon.
Uyjien and Li laoshi discussing what to do with her birthday gift, the big melon.		 Uyjien had the best idea.
Uyjien had the best idea.		 But Li laoshi didn't seem to agree.
But Li laoshi didn't seem to agree.
The train stop at Xin Zhou, it was cooooooold and very very dark.
The train stop at Xin Zhou, it was cooooooold and very very dark.		 Our group heading down the stairs as the train continues on.
Our group heading down the stairs as the train continues on.		 Low mist in the valley as the sun rises over the mountains.
Low mist in the valley as the sun rises over the mountains.		 Our very interesting breakfast.
Our very interesting breakfast.
Dani's changing expression as she tries the creepy (and thoroughly disgusting) cold red thing we were given.
Dani's changing expression as she tries the creepy (and thoroughly disgusting) cold red thing we were given.		 Li laoshi can't resist an opportunity to play with dogs.
Li laoshi can't resist an opportunity to play with dogs.		 Awww.
Awww.		 Uyjien on the left is about to be yelled at by the monks on the right.
Uyjien on the left is about to be yelled at by the monks on the right.
Li laoshi is so violent!
Li laoshi is so violent!		 The first temple we went to in the Wu Tai Shan area.
The first temple we went to in the Wu Tai Shan area.		 Chris, Zhao laoshi and Li laoshi.
Chris, Zhao laoshi and Li laoshi.		 It was a nice little temple.
It was a nice little temple.
But very very cold... Note Camari the ninja here.
But very very cold... Note Camari the ninja here.		 Cool little lion on the rail.
Cool little lion on the rail.		 Aldri and Joyce being goofy.
Aldri and Joyce being goofy.		 Jump! Aldri, Joyce, Allison, and Alissa take flight.
Jump! Aldri, Joyce, Allison, and Alissa take flight.
Cool ancient tree.
Cool ancient tree.		 There was apparently a wedding going on when we went to climb the mountain.
There was apparently a wedding going on when we went to climb the mountain.		 Li laoshi still hiding from the camera, even when her good buddy Jonathan wants to take a picture with her.
Li laoshi still hiding from the camera, even when her good buddy Jonathan wants to take a picture with her.		 This picture would look a lot better without the beefy green arm in the left corner.
This picture would look a lot better without the beefy green arm in the left corner.
Alissa, Joyce, and Aldri looking awesome.
Alissa, Joyce, and Aldri looking awesome.		 Aldri, Joyce, and Alissa flying over the valley.
Aldri, Joyce, and Alissa flying over the valley.		 Pavilion Pavilion, Angela, and Rebecca taking their turn to do the same.
Pavilion Pavilion, Angela, and Rebecca taking their turn to do the same.		 Tourist on the left, Buddhist on the right.
Tourist on the left, Buddhist on the right.
The path up...
The path up...		 Li laoshi and me halfway up.
Li laoshi and me halfway up.		 Your humble photographer.
Your humble photographer.		 Henry getting his picture taken with various Chinese tourists.
Henry getting his picture taken with various Chinese tourists.
I don't even know what was going on here...
I don't even know what was going on here...		 A group shot of some of the lovely women of CIEE.
A group shot of some of the lovely women of CIEE.		 Jae showing her Halloween spirit by flying around the mountain on her broom.
Jae showing her Halloween spirit by flying around the mountain on her broom.		 The Wutai Shan valley. Pretty much each group of buildings you see is a different temple.
The Wutai Shan valley. Pretty much each group of buildings you see is a different temple.
A valley between mountains. Chris, Becca, and me.
"A valley between mountains." Chris, Becca, and me.		 A nice shot of Joyce except that it looks like she has a stump for a right arm.
A nice shot of Joyce except that it looks like she has a stump for a right arm.		 Henry looking awesome.
Henry looking awesome.		 A particularly skilled cat in the temple.
A particularly skilled cat in the temple.
Li laoshi in the temple. Taken with my camera hanging around my neck, came out well!
Li laoshi in the temple. Taken with my camera hanging around my neck, came out well!		 Li laoshi giving Joyce that mu deng kou dai look.
Li laoshi giving Joyce that "mu deng kou dai" look.		 Joyce explaining to Li laoshi the meaning of a 'stalker'...
Joyce explaining to Li laoshi the meaning of a 'stalker'...		 Li laoshi loves those dogs...
Li laoshi loves those dogs...
Awww...
Awww...		 Mike, Sarah, Dani, Henry and Camari chilling out at the top.
Mike, Sarah, Dani, Henry and Camari chilling out at the top.		 The biggest temple in the valley. (which we did not visit, hehe)
The biggest temple in the valley. (which we did not visit, hehe)		 See, when she lets me take pictures of her they come out well don't they?
See, when she lets me take pictures of her they come out well don't they?
The hill we just climbed.
The hill we just climbed.		 There's a Uyjien in my jacket!
"There's a Uyjien in my jacket!"		 Sheep stampede!
Sheep stampede!		 A park/temple/thing in the Jinci area, it was very dark...
A park/temple/thing in the Jinci area, it was very dark...
Big old trees.
Big old trees.		 One of the soldiers protecting the grounds.
One of the soldiers protecting the grounds.		 Li laoshi took to stealing pictures of me, too... This is what her camera saw while I set up for the previous picture.
Li laoshi took to stealing pictures of me, too... This is what her camera saw while I set up for the previous picture.		 More old trees.
More old trees.
Big temple hall or something like that. Note the ghost of Mike to the left and Gordon taking photos of the dragons on the wall.
Big temple hall or something like that. Note the ghost of Mike to the left and Gordon taking photos of the dragons on the wall.		 A cool water area in the park grounds.
A cool water area in the park grounds.		 Nice little canal type device running through the grounds.
Nice little canal type device running through the grounds.
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